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DEPUTATIONS CONCERNING MOTION 25-G-015, 2025 BUSINESS PLAN AND BUDGET - SERVICE PARTNERS BY THE FOLLOWING INDIVIDUALS:
1. Michael Speers outlined his concerns about the Barrie Police Service budget including that policing is a more discriminatory and violent method of control, and that that further investments in policing would be a detriment to the community.
Mr. Speers advised that he felt that evidence indicates that higher police budgets do not necessarily lead to a safer community and outlined the reasons for his opinion; as follows:
• over policing harms communities and can impact marginalized neighbourhoods and vulnerable populations creating a climate of fear and mistrust between law enforcement and the public.
• police are not equipped to address the root causes of crime which Mr. Speers noted he felt are items such as poverty, lack of affordable housing, mental health challenges, and inadequate access to services and employment opportunities. He felt that year after year the police budget grows but that social services, mental health programs, transit the library, and other community initiatives remain badly underfunded.
• a higher police budget diverts resources from programs that could have a greater impact on community well-being and can be directed to providing more housing, more shelter spaces, mental health supports, better transit and supervised consumption sites.
Mr. Speers outlined his thoughts advising he felt that prioritizing the police budget is choosing a reactive approach over a proactive one which includes violent encampment evictions over creating accessible shelter spaces for everyone who needs them.
Mr. Speers noted that he felt that the BPS budget should not be approved and should be reduced by 10% including a hiring freeze. He advised he felt that safety needs to be reimagined which means reallocating resources to address the root causes of crime, investing in community building initiatives and ensuring that everyone has access to the supports they need.
2. Kaitlin Baldwin spoke against the approval of the Barrie Police Service budget. She outlined incidents involving police. Ms. Baldwin shared that she felt that Barrie Police Service are being used as a catch-all to address issues in Barrie that are not their job, including housing, mental health, relational issues, and poverty.
Ms. Baldwin outlined concerns with the amount Barrie Police Service budget that is allocated to salaries and benefits and how this amount in comparison equates with social housing, shelter beds, therapy sessions and groceries for the community
Ms. Baldwin also indicated that she cares deeply about safety, autonomy of all people, health, belonging and ultimate survival. She advised that she felt that there would not be as many police calls to Busby Centre. Salvation Army or domestic cases, if shelters were fully resourced.
Ms. Baldwin shared her opinion that crime is a social issue and that police respond to crime but do not prevent it. Ms. Baldwin suggested that funds could be reinvested into social housing programs, emergency shelters, libraries, social service organizations, food banks and support for many not-for-profit organizations that provide free mental health care.
3. Daisy Oliveros expressed her desire to see at risk individuals to receive a second chance at rejoining society and to have positive interactions with police officers. She agreed that police are essential to the community when protecting vulnerable people, and that Barrie Police should be well funded resulting in the police force’s ability to respond to the needs of a growing city. She addressed her concerns associated with at risk individuals’ ability to access programs that will guide them in the right direction. Ms. Oliveros commented that police are human, could be stressed, tired, overworked or spread too thin which may impact them living up to the standards of excellence that is expected of them.
She addressed concerns about those who choose to exploit others and have difficulty enforcing their personal boundaries and the perception of law enforcement.
4. Ash Pineau addressed her concerns with the service provided by Barrie Police Service including, in her opinion bullying, control, greed, and manipulation. Ms. Pineau also shared her concerns with the Mayor and Council supporting the Police budget. Ms. Pineau outlined that she felt that the library is doing more the City than the police is. She advised that she felt that Council should listen to the real community of Barrie, and not provide the BPS their increase in budget, but to invest in solutions.